In the annals of employment, non-salary compensation is a relatively recent innovation. Some of the basic concepts have been around for centuries: At the dawn of the imperial era in ancient Rome, Caesar Augustus famously averted a riot among discontented soldiers in the Roman legions by creating one of history's earliest known pension funds.

On the other hand, salary itself wasn't a consideration for many workers until the industrial revolutions sweeping across various nations in 18th and 19th centuries began to lure people away from farms and into cities. And after that, it took a while for factories and other establishments that hired workers to ramp up production to the point of needing to compete for paid laborers.

In the United States, railroad companies busily expanding operations at the end of the 19th century were the first businesses to adopt the notion of pensions and make retirement planning a workplace consideration. So although in 2023 it may seem like paid time off, 401K plans, various forms of insurance, and other incentives are simply part of any employment contract, it wasn't until quite recently that employers routinely offered much more than just a paycheck.

Most non-salary compensation is generically labeled as "benefits." Employees expect to receive benefits and often don't even consider them an element of overall compensation. If you ever feel like you aren't being paid as much as you're worth, then it can be helpful to consider everything else that your employer is already adding to whatever number it is that represents your salary.

We always include a couple of questions about non-salary compensation in the Salary Survey. Today we're taking a look as some of your answers. More specifically, what are the most common forms or non-monetary compensation, both among certified IT professionals in United States, and among certified IT professionals in other nations?

ALL U.S. WORKERS
Type of Benefit — Percentage of survey respondents who receive this benefit
Medical insurance — 77 percent
Paid time off — 75.1 percent
Dental insurance — 60.5 percent
Vision insurance — 60.4 percent
Bonus or incentive program — 56.3 percent
401(k) — 56 percent
Sick time — 52.2 percent
Training or certification assistance — 47.4 percent
Flexible scheduling — 43.6 percent
Pension or other retirement plan — 42.6 percent
Tuition assistance — 37 percent
Child care benefit — 24.9 percent
Stock options — 24.3 percent
Parking and transit assistance — 22.8 percent

ALL NON-U.S. WORKERS
Type of Benefit — Percentage of survey respondents who receive this benefit
Medical insurance — 68.1 percent
Sick time — 58 percent
Paid time off — 56.6 percent
Bonus or incentive program — 54.6 percent
Training or certification assistance — 50.9 percent
Pension or other retirement plan — 49.2 percent
Flexible scheduling — 37.5 percent
Dental insurance — 31.9 percent
Vision insurance — 21.7 percent
Child care benefit — 21.4 percent
Stock options — 18.8 percent
Parking and transit assistance — 17.1 percent
Tuition assistance — 12 percent
401 (k) — 9.3 percent

No benefits are universal: Even in the United States, only 77 percent of those surveyed can rely on their employer to provide medical insurance. It would appear that what you get from your employers beyond your salary is a bit of a grab bag.

Many certified IT professionals in the United States can count on their employer for medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, paid time off. Sick time is less frequently provided, and 401(k) programs are less prevalent than you might expect. On the other hand, close to 60 percent of those surveyed participate in some form of bonus program. And it’s nice to see that support for employee training and certification efforts is as robust as it is.

There’s very little support for workers who need child care, and the glory days when tech hires got stock options almost automatically are clearly well behind us. There are a surprising number of U.S. tech workers who are eligible for pensions, which may reflect the prevalence of government IT jobs.

Medical insurance is the most common form of non-salary compensation provided to non-U.S. workers, with sick time, paid time off, bonus programs, and training or certification assistance also fairly widely available. U.S. tech workers contemplating moving to another country, however, should clearly not expect the same level or variety of benefits that they’re likely accustomed to.

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